Greetings! I have always tried in every task and project that I have tackled to be positive and optimistic. A former boss would always say that a problem or difficult situation was an opportunity to improve rather than a problem or roadblock. We face many challenges and difficulties as technologists in today’s health care environment, but we need to see each challenge or problem as our opportunity to move forward and improve our profession, our organization, and most importantly our own quality of life. My goal as your president is to leave the profession and specialty in better shape than at the start of my term. A lofty goal, but I guess you would call me the eternal optimist.
My term could not have had a more exciting and positive beginning than with the 49th SNM Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. Each time I attend the Annual Meeting I am fascinated by the reality that there are so many people involved in a profession that still evokes looks of dismay and incredulity from people. “You do what?”
The meeting began with the usual array of committee and executive meetings on June 12th and concluded on the 19th with Dr. Wagner’s highlights. The educational and networking value of the meeting will fuel many of us until next year’s meeting. Congratulations to Carol Bonanno and the organizing team for a job well done. The continuing education program lived up to its initial billing by providing a series of high-quality lectures on a variety of subjects for technologists from all specialty areas. The team headed by Kathy Murphy for next year’s meeting is already working hard to create a formidable program for the 50th Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
I am very proud to represent the Technologist Section of the Society. This coming year promises to be both interesting and busy as we accomplish our many goals. The many projects that we have already started and will continue to work on this year include:
Workforce Shortage. We have established a taskforce and conducted a preliminary survey of supervisors.
PET/CT Training and Certification. We have convened, in conjunction with the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, a stakeholders meeting scheduled for late July to discuss the issues and develop a joint position paper.
Entry-level Question. We held a successful meeting of program directors on this subject at the Annual Meeting, and we have charged several individuals with the collection of data and background information.
Foundation and Fundraising. We have two taskforces looking into these areas, one to develop a new working relationship between the Education and Research Foundation, the SNM, and the SNM-TS and the second to develop the technologists’ newly formed Technologist Development Fund.
Advanced Practice. We are currently in the discovery and data collection stage, compliments of Mickey Clarke and Martha Pickett. Our next step will be putting together a position statement to present for discussion in a larger forum.
One of my primary goals for this year will be to work with technologists and the publications division of the Society to develop all aspects of publications currently coming from and for technologists. It is also time for a full review of our strategic plan. This will occur under the careful and dynamic guidance of our past president Kathy Thomas.
Collaboration and cooperation with other health care professions and our colleagues overseas will be another priority this year. I will have the pleasure this year of representing the Technologist Section at various meeting across the country and around the world. Several opportunities have been planned at each of these meetings for discussion of common goals and possible future collaboration.
Association of Health Radiology Administrators, July 2002
European Association of Nuclear Medicine, September 2002
Health Profession Network, September 2002
Radiologic Society of North America, December 2002
Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine, May 2003
I have also received several invitations to chapter meetings across the country and will be pleased to attend as many as I can. Getting involved at the chapter level and hearing from members will help me as your leader to understand the variety of opinions and focus on the issues that matter most to us all. As I start, I can see opportunities for improvement leaping out of every project, but I can’t do this alone. Ahead of time, I want to thank all of the volunteers and Society staff for their future efforts. I also want to encourage anyone who wants to get involved to give me a call. I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, concerns, or areas you think we should be looking into, I encourage you to e-mail or call me: e-mail: fkeech{at}mcp.edu; phone: 617-732-2928.
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